Contentment

I’ve mentioned once or twice on this blog about being in the place God wants me to be. Most recently I said in this post, “There’s a wonderful sense of peace that comes from knowing that you’re right where God wants you to be right now.”

From a quick reading of statements like that you may get the feeling that I’m talking about living the perfect life where there is no trouble, no conflict and where everything goes right all the time. I sometimes wish it were that simple.

Every day I have to deal with struggles I’d rather not face. There are financial issues, personal issues, moral issues, relationship issues and at times it can feel like they’re closing in on me. I know that my life is a lot simpler and a lot ‘nicer’ (don’t you hate the word nice?) than the lives of so many others but I still have my own concerns and struggles.

So how can I say that I feel peaceful and that I’m where I should be?

I suppose that I can look at the example of my kids. No matter what they’re facing they know that their dad loves them. They know that they have a home where they are safe and where they are valued. They might get upset by things that happen at school or when there’s a disagreement with a friend but they know the safe feeling of being in the arms of their dad. They might even get hurt or sick but I’ll still be there for them and I’m sure that the more they understand that, the more they’ll appreciate that safe haven.

If they ever decide to rebel, as many young people do, they’ll lose that connection. I’ll make sure they still know that I’ll be ready to take them back at any time but their own rebellion will be what puts distance in our relationship. I’ll continue to do everything within my power to restore that relationship.

That’s how I feel about my heavenly dad, God. No matter what I face I know that I’m safe in his arms. I might get sick or hurt or face struggles that are way bigger than I am but in the middle of it all I know that God’s ready to take me in and give me a big ‘daddy hug’. My own rebellion causes distance in our relationship but more and more I’m understanding that he’s still there calling me back, always available.

My contentedness isn’t about complacency or living within my comfort zone, it’s about living life, making mistakes, stumbling along, striving, reaching for something better, moving forward, experiencing pain, experiencing joy, but all the time knowing that I’m in the hands of the one who put me together in my mother’s womb.

While I haven’t got it quite right yet, I’m more and more learning what Paul meant when he wrote to his friends at Philippi almost 2000 years ago, “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.”

Posted by Rodney Olsen

Technorati Tags:



Do you think some of your friends would enjoy reading Contentment? Please use the buttons below to share the post. Thanks.

About the author

Rodney Olsen

Rodney is a husband, father, cyclist, blogger and podcaster from Perth Western Australia.

He has worked in radio at Perth's media ministry Sonshine for over 25 years and has previously worked at ministries such as Compassion Australia and Bible Society.

The views he expresses here are his own.

View all posts

5 Comments

  • This is a very good post. I think I may keep it handy. I get a peaceful feeling when I read it (I really do.)

    When I first read that last sentence of your post on “Staying Home” I thought something like “that’s quite presumptuous that he would declare he KNOWS where God wants him to be.” But I’m glad you posted a further explanation. I had momentarily forgotten that one’s relationship with the Holy Trinity can be so intimate that one truly “knows” he is walking the right road.

  • A wonderful post. It serves as a good reminder that even when things are not going the way we might like, as long as we’re close with God, we will be okay.

    This post really gave me a boost, thank you.

Join the conversation

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.